Does it have bars on the windows? Is it a dank, dark place where only the downtrodden tread?

Or is it a place where rare antiques frequently materialize, and unusual high-dollar items wait for similarly well-heeled owners (and interest) to return?

Neither scenario, of course, is accurate. One represents the stigmatized perspective that those who own and use the stores deride. The other trumps reality thanks in no small part to the recent spate of reality television shows that call pawn shops home.

Yet it is the very combination of those extreme interpretations that has tempted more people than ever before to visit local pawnbrokers.

“Nobody is concerned anymore about the name ‘pawn shop,’ ” said Gary Davis, manager of A-Z Jewelry and Swap on Adams Street just off the Bob Michel Bridge. “Now, it’s the neatest thing since sliced bread.”

The shows held such sway on public perception that the National Pawnbrokers Association developed a series of talking points for their members when the latter series premiered in August 2010.

Among the highlights of those encouraged discussion points: the shows are entertaining, but don’t reflect the daily life of pawnbrokers and the services they provide; they are only two examples in extreme urban areas out of more than 13,500 pawn shops nationwide.

The shows coincided with sizeable changes in the pawn industry, though those shows also arrived as all financial sectors were reeling from the impact of a sharp economic downturn.

The NPA’s national survey in 2010 found the average pawnbroker loan the previous year was $100 — up from an average of $80 in 2008. In addition to the rising loan amounts, the number of defaults on those loans also rose in 2009 by 8 percent, the survey noted.

Gold purchases also soared in 2009 along with the market price of precious metals, with reports of cash-for-gold transactions up 35 percent, the survey additionally found. Yet while those figures all point toward a larger client base for pawnbrokers, retail sales declined by an estimated 15 percent.

Page 2 of 3 - That comes as no surprise to Davis, the manager in Peoria. Reality television has driven a new breed curious customers to the shop on Adams Street for the first time in three decades on the same block.

But the increased flow of foot traffic hasn’t necessarily translated to greater sales.

The core business at A-Z remains jewelry purchases and small-scale loans, oftentimes for people who are on a fixed income or otherwise don’t have the credit to create a financial relationship with a traditional lender like a bank.

Indeed, the NPA calls short-term loans brokered at pawn stores a “safety net” for families in emergency situations. The group’s latest national survey again found the number and amounts of loans on the rise, with an average pawn loan of $150 in the first half of 2013. More than 85 percent of those loans were repaid.

Davis said it’s not uncommon for routine customers to bring in the same items over and over again to secure a short-term cash flow.

“They use those things to make it through the end of the month,” he said.

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The National Pawnbrokers Association provides this breakdown of how the pawn process unfolds.

What does a pawn store do? Pawn stores may have retail operations, but they focus on providing loans, with something of value secured as collateral.

How does a pawn loan work? Loans are based on a percentage of an item’s estimated value. The pawnbroker keeps the item until the loan is repaid with interest.

How is a loan amount on an item determined? Pawnbrokers must consider the cost of storage, security and future demand for the item, along with the resale value if the loan is not repaid.

What interest rate is charged? Interest rates vary from state to state, with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation capping interest at 20 percent.

What is needed to obtain a pawn loan? Pawn loans do not require a credit check or a bank account, but proper identification is required. Items with serial numbers are placed in databases monitored by police for stolen goods.

What happens if a loan isn’t repaid? The item held as collateral is sold by the pawnbroker to cover the amount of the loan. There is no affect on the client’s credit score.

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Look for our Extra special section on personal finance and retirement in the Sunday, Feb. 23 edition of the Journal Star, and check out daily posts here.

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Matt Buedel can be reached at 686-3154 or mbuedel@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @JournoBuedel.